Lot's of back and forth about Shelby and Tigers. Here are a few points
to consider:
Firstly, Carroll put a 260 cid engine in his first creation, as a 289
was not available until later. The original car, and subsequent were
known as AC Cobra's. AC manufactured their AC Ace with a "Bristol
Straight 6". This engine was from BMW, and "liberated" by the British
after the War in 1945.
In September 1961, Shelby airmailed AC a letter asking them if they
would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed,
provided a suitable engine could be found. He first went to Chevrolet to
see if they would provide him with engines, but not wanting to add
competition to the Corvette they said no. Ford however, wanted a car
that could compete with the Corvette and they happened to have a brand
new thin-wall small-block engine which could be used in this endeavor.
It was Ford's 260 in3 HiPo (4.2 L) engine. First delivery was Feb.,
1962. The first 75 Cobra Mark I's (including the prototype) were fitted
with the 260 engine (4.2 L). The remaining 51 Mark I model were fitted
with a larger version of the Windsor Ford engine, the 289 in3 (4.7 L) V8.
I am not sure when the cars were named "Carroll Shelby's" AC Cobra.
Ian Garrard, Rootes' West Coast Manager, (and son of Norman Garrard
(competitions manager), and Jack Brabham's recommendation. With
approval from his boss, John Panks, met with Ken Miles, and Carroll
Shelby in Venice, California. Shelby accepted the contract for $10,000
to build a car prototype for production. PLUS a commission on each car
sold! (Miles offered to build a prototype for $600, he was working for
Shelby at the time.)
An SII Alpine was delivered to Ken, and one to Carroll in April, 1963.
The "Shelby Car", built by Phil Remington (Chief Engineer) and George
Boskoff (Head Mechanic), while Shelby was off negotiating with Ford for
his Shelby Mustang, was delivered to Southampton on a banana boat in
July, 1963. One year after the first Shelby AC Cobra was made.
(Much history was garnered from Mike Taylor's "Tiger - The Making of a
Sports Car".)
Considering the design was done AT Shelby, if not BY Shelby (neither was
the Cobra), and he made a commission on each sale, It is as
legitimately a "Shelby" as the AC.
BUT, at the end, it was Ian Garrard and John Panks who were the
"fathers" of the Tiger.
Enjoy your trip of life, it is a one way ticket!
Steve
___
Steve Laifman
Editor - TigersUnited.com
<http://www.TigersUnited.com>
Tony Somebody wrote:
> I have absolutely no proof, other than a gut feeling BUT the 289 was available
> for fitment in the first Tigers. My gut tells me CS had a part in helping
> Rootes get 260 engines from Ford. he had to be aware the Tiger was going to be
> a serious contender for outrunniing the first Cobras that also received power
> from a 260 engine.I have no opinion of what claim we have to Mr. shelby,
> especially calling the Tiger a shelby Tiger- it just didnt exist. I have
> attended Shelby events at the Brown cnty.anual Shelby event. His name is not
> on our cars but we are set aside with our own group at the event and we are
> accepted by them or we acceppt them if you will.
> At one time I thought that some of the shelby tiger parts might also be used
> on the Cobra but it is evident now that sellers are just using shelby to put
> the parts on more screens and if the Cobra used the same part as a tiger it
> was very few. If we could lay claim to being a real member of the Shelby
> family it could only increase the value of our cars BUT I only see the bastard
> stepson relationship. Im sure when ask that CS is happy to claim the Tiger but
> Im not sure it is a valid claim.
> TtT
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